Paint meets paper
The technique may be based on a 19th-century practice, but Farrow & Ball’s new Dragged collection of wallpapers can look surprisingly modern in the right setting. Employing a traditional 1800s production method that uses open-bottomed troughs, the English décor company has given the painted papers a subtly streaked, tactile finish. For fall, F&B has introduced room-popping brights from royal blue to intense red, but we like the contemporary cool of its good range of grey neutrals—check out Skimming Stone (Number 241). They’re the perfect choice for someone torn between papering or painting a wall. Rolls run about $180 each, through retailers such as Kerrisdale Heritage Paint & Paper (6191 West Boulevard) and At Home (1530 Marine Drive, West Vancouver).

Croc talk
Taking the term “home fashion” to truly literal new levels, the Paige line at Urban Barn (various locations) applies the designer-handbag trend to practical household accessories. Everything from hampers to chargers come in the line’s faux-croc print, in neutral beige or grey with silver details. Our favourite, though, is the Paige Magazine Basket ($39), a stiff, tote-shaped container that would look chic next to any couch—or on any arm, for that matter.

Get toasted
They’re the coolest thing since sliced bread: toasters that cook a message right into your morning toast. “Bite me” and “I’m hot” are just some of the smart-ass phrases on the interchangeable stencils that click into retro-looking Pop Art Toasters. There are also images of a sun and a birthday cake, but your bread isn’t the only thing that looks good: with curvy vintage lines and colours including pink and aqua, the toasters themselves are a throwback to June Cleaver’s kitchen. They’re available in plastic and chrome models, and run about US$29 to US$49 via their website.

Coffee in the round
The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Circolo recently won a prize at the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards, and it’s easy to see why. The single-serving, no-mess coffeemaker houses each cup in its funky round machine, which comes in white, titanium, and—our favourite—red. But what should really get your caffeine cravings going is its capsule system, which allows you to pop packaged single-serving portions into the unit. In real terms, that means you can make a creamy caffè lungo, a chococino, an iced cappuccino, and a Nestea peach tea—back-to-back without cleaning up in between. It’s $179.99 at stores including Home Outfitters (various locations), the Bay (various locations), and London Drugs (various locations).